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Endolymphatic Duct Blockage as a Surgical Treatment Option for Ménière's Disease

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Paraplegia after mastoidectomy under general anesthesia.

Rafael Ortega¹, Suzuko Suzuki, Pavan Sekhar

¹Department of Anesthesiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA. rortega@bu.edu

American Journal of Otolaryngology

|September 2, 2009

Summary

A rare case of complete paraplegia occurred after general anesthesia for ear surgery. This suggests neck rotation and low blood pressure may trigger spinal cord issues in susceptible patients.

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Area of Science:

Neurology
Anesthesiology
Neurosurgery

Background:

General anesthesia for otologic surgery can carry risks.
Spinal cord pathology can predispose individuals to neurological deficits.

Observation:

A patient developed complete paraplegia post-right tympanomastoidectomy under general anesthesia.
No apparent predisposing factors related to the surgery or anesthesia were identified.

Findings:

The development of paraplegia was unexpected and without clear cause.
The combination of neck rotation and relative hypotension is hypothesized as a potential trigger.

Implications:

This case highlights a potential risk factor for spinal cord injury during otologic procedures.
Further investigation into the interplay of surgical positioning, anesthesia, and spinal cord vulnerability is warranted.
Consideration of spinal cord perfusion pressure during procedures involving neck manipulation is crucial.